


The Seven Idle Days

by Anonymous



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-08 04:50:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11639259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: By article AA21C, class 7B, all MACUSA personnel is required to take at least seven days off per year. Too damn bad for those directors who'd rather be working.





	The Seven Idle Days

The paperwork was damning.

Grim, Percival stared down at it, reluctant to acknowledge the meaning of it, even though the neatly typed title – _Holiday Request: Authorized (based on article AA21C, class 7B)_ – glared right back at him. Seraphina’s familiar, winding signature at the bottom of the document felt like a betrayal, and Percival couldn’t keep his anger from simmering, even as he gave her a guarded look.

“I did not request a holiday.”

“I’m more than aware. I made the request on your behalf, after all, seeing as you appeared to have forgotten to do it yourself.”

She was sitting at her desk, studying Percival coolly, unimpressed, with her hands folded in front of her. It was admittedly a testament to her strong character that she didn’t even wince where others would have bolted, seeing the anger in his gaze, but, _by Lewis_ , she could have at least had the decency to look apologetic for doing something like _this_ to him!

“That is quite the liberty to take, Madam.” He didn’t even bother to keep the irritation out of his tone. “I must, however, decline the offer, as this is simply not a good time for me to take a day off.”

“Quite the opposite.” Seraphina didn’t smile, but her lips were now less downturned than they had been but a moment before. “I have already heard the opinions of your Senior Aurors and they all agreed that this would be as good a time to take a holiday as any, seeing as no major crimes are to be solved and no lives are at stake. All things considered, this is the perfect time for you to take the week off.”

Instant horror hit him, and he was shaking his head before she had even finished talking.

“A _week_?” Percival wanted to curse, but professionalism won over and he settled for grimacing instead. “Madam President, I again _must_ decline. There is work to be done, I just _cannot_ take the week off right now.”

Unfolding her hands, Seraphina pinched the bridge of her nose, giving him an exasperated look.

“By article AA21C, class 7B, all personnel is required to take at least seven days off per year. It is December 16th, and yet, you haven’t used your seven free days all year. As far as I am aware, you haven’t taken _a single day off_ all year, Mr. Graves. That just won’t do. It’s… against the regulations."

It _was_ against the regulations, and Seraphina sure knew where to hit him; she was well aware he hated doing anything that went against the regulations.

Percival resisted the urge to shift on his chair.

“I’ve been campaigning against that article for three years by now,” was his way of defending himself. “I had hoped the congress would vote against the mandatory free days, this time.”

They hadn’t. Just two days ago they had politely listened to him, as anyone would such a high member of the Graves family, but afterwards when the vote had been had, no-one had voted against the article like Percival had hoped they would. Instead, all the members of the congress had been unanimously in favor of holidays – they had not seen the need to remove the seven free days guaranteed to all MACUSA personnel, no matter how convincing Percival had thought he had been.

“Believe me, I _know_ you have been campaigning against it,” Seraphina’s tone was dry like sand. “I’ve had to listen to all the speeches you have given over the years to convince the wizarding community that no-one should be forced to take off days, if they don’t want to, and frankly, Mr. Graves, this is getting ridiculous – although at least this campaign of yours did the one thing no-one deemed possible beforehand: it united the congress, if only for one vote.”

“This doesn’t change the fact, however,” she went on, “that you haven’t yet taken the seven days off which means that you have so far failed to obey the article AA21C, class 7B. To correct the situation and to prevent any negative consequences on falling onto you, I ‘took the liberty’, as you put it, to request a holiday on your behalf, a request which I also granted. I’m positive you know how we will proceed from here?”

Staring straight ahead with his head held high – for damn it all, he would at least go with dignity, with honor like a true member of the Graves family – Percival gave one terse nod. Of course he knew how the procedures went, this was hardly the first time Seraphina had forced him to take a week off, damn her good intentions.

“Senior Auror Hampson is ready to take over your duties,” Seraphina went on to explain needlessly. “ _Temporarily_ , I emphasize. We do expect you back in a week, after all, which is why I would appreciate it, if you could try to look less like someone who has just been banished for an eternity.”

She waited for a moment, during which Percival schooled his expression, forcing the scowl off his face.

“You have the rest of the day to debrief your Senior Aurors,” she went on when it became clear he wasn’t going to say anything. “Tomorrow is your first day off. Mind you, I am going to give all the Aurors the order to not report to you in the entire week. They won’t be allowed to talk to you about anything work-related during your days off, so please don’t make it difficult for them by pestering them for information like you did during your week off last year.”

“This will be such a pointless waste of time,” Percival voiced his frustration. “There are crooks out there I could be catching, crimes I should be solving, the entire wizarding community I should protecting – yet, you are purposefully preventing me from working by forcing me to be idle for seven days.”

“It’ll be over sooner than you know. Besides, Percival,” Seraphina used his forename to emphasize she was speaking to him as a friend, not as the president, “you’ll be back to work just in time for Christmas.”

Percival smiled grimly. Thank Lewis for small mercies.


End file.
